My show about Vitiligo in Los Angeles

My show about Vitiligo in Los Angeles
Chef Lauren Von Der Pool guest talking about diet !

Tortured Soul -Live House Music Band-and AWESOME!

Tortured Soul -Live House Music Band-and AWESOME!
Hangin with a few members from Tortured Soul!

AT top of Stone Mountain

AT top of Stone Mountain
GOtta always apply Solbar sunblock #50 to my face/body when I am outside in the sun , otherwise my face will burn and the white spots get real pink and will burn. I have no more pigment on my lips & now have to switchup my darn lipstick colors!! so annoying! lol

Me on top of Stone Mountain

Me on top of Stone Mountain
THis is one of my Southern USA oasis. THe hike to the top is beyond amazing!

Sisterfriend and I @ Park 52 Restaurant-Chicago

Sisterfriend and I @ Park 52 Restaurant-Chicago
Not afraid to show my white patches!! gotta be fearless

On Set- Santa Monica, CA

On Set- Santa Monica, CA
My talk show dedciated to people with Vitiligo

Brave and Beautiful Little One

Brave and Beautiful Little One
Vitiligo and Personality!! When I see this little princess, I am so inspired by her ! Pls teach your kids to respect and be kind to those that look different from them, for they are human and are still beautiful inspite of the differences!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Love unconditional-vitiligo or not!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
men are beautiful too with vitiligo!

Anotha beauty from the inside out!

Anotha beauty from the inside out!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

WHen you first see a person with Vitiligo on the face or hands , your first thought is...

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Friends with VIt-Gotta love yourself no matter what and WE DO!!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

A Day

I have been running around preparing for the August 18th taping of this blog to television. Truly hope that one of the greatest Dermatologists (in my opinion) Dr. Grimes will be a special guest on the show. Many of you would certainly find her views of this skin disorder very interesting. She's done alot of research on skin disorders.

In the meantime, I have been talking to folks in the industry who are encouraging me to wholeheartedly take my show to network..And so I am!
The more women, children and men who live with Vitiligo and our self-conscious about it, will begin to feel empowered, motivated and hopeful after becoming a viewer and reader of Maipecanswirl (the blog and the television show). This is my hope and heartfelt determination.

....And it's just darn good therapy for me to discuss honestly about this condition and how people look at me, others and to reveal the most interesting conversations that come up when I am in the Public eyes.

If you know of anyone that is interested in sharing their story with me on living with Vitiligo, please email me: Maipecanswirl1@yahoo.com

"Smile today and let the sunshine within come out."--Maia

Friday, July 11, 2008

Changing a Skin Disorder into a Discussion

Well, I have been on a mission to find people who are affected by and living with Vitiligo. I don't know why it is that when I am looking for a variety of folks with Vitiligo to share their stories, I always run into African-American, female women ages 30 to 50. It's a wonderful experience, but "we" are not the only ones living with this skin issue.

Vitiligo is NOT just an African-American skin disorder. Now, I can't speak for the brother and sisters who CHOOSE to bleach themselves white, that my dear readers is another blog...but not the one for today. :-)


It is so funny because when I am out and about, I see many races with this skin disorder. However, I am in a car most of the time, sitting in LA Traffic and LA Drivers could go ballistic if I paused for a second to ask someone standing at the GREEN light, "Hi there, would you like to be a guest on my show?"

( I can't lie, I have tried it-was successful but they got cold feet). And got honked at like never before and NO I did NOT put up the finger (too classy for that) just waved and smiled in the rearview mirror "sorry baby, thanks for waiting" LOL LOL!

Anyway, I did meet a Mexican-American family and the Mother of 3 children who had Vitiligo in its advance stages. So of course, Ms. Maia attempted to speak broken Spanish (if that) and to no avail, I was getting no where fast. (Mom, I still don't understand why you did not teach, force, bribe, demand Spanish, of me? Since you have been teaching, speaking, reading and writing it for over 40 years!) Ok that's a family issue, but I am still salty 'bout that :-) Mom, u know I l luv you but just WHY????

.....But nevertheless, I am sure this middle aged mom would have had an interesting story to tell. I now have to purchase "Spanish-Quick and in a Hurry". I made that up but I am sure someone out there has that title.

If readers of this blog or anyone you know has Vitiligo and wants to share invigorating, organically funny and witty conversation (this is not a depressing situation, or at least I am not going to allow it to be in my life) about their life with Vitiligo tell them to email me at: Maipecanswirl1@yahoo.com
Let's chat.

In these ridiculous times, there is always some place that we can change ugly to pretty or bad to good. I really hope that when America and the World learns more about Vitiligo, they will become more familiar with it and understanding of people who live with it EVERYDAY. Let's become more humble, happy and knowledgeable. It is so interesting how just one topic can open up a treasure chest of stories from past to present....

Better days for everybody!
Maia

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Mai Hosting Reel on You Tube

Finally, I put my talent reel up for those agents that are seeking me and don't know it yet! I just recently taped a show that I will be editing soon and adding some footage to this reel and the tlevision segment to this blog......soon come.

I still have uncut fun things to look at and you will get it right here as I tape Maipecanswirl for television. Have to admit, it was so nice not to have to hide the pigment loss on my hands and arms as we filmed this pilot. Irony of it is that, when we played the footage back, I noticed at times I would use my hands to speak. It caught me off guard to see myself with spots on my hands flashing across the TV screen.

I said to myself, "What happened to her hands?, but she's still cute !!"-LOL So, I can imagine what people are saying that have never seen this unusual skin disorder on local or National TELEVISION before. All the more reason why I am doing it!,


After you get through the shell shock of it, you can't help but pay attention to the conversations, my interviewing style (not Oprah, Not Barbara , Tyra or Ellen) but TOTALLY Maia. I am inspired and love them all!.......and if I meet my goal they will all be on my show at one time or another. Betta hurry cause Ms. B just wrote her book "Audition" and she's not getting any younger. I know there is more to tell and I'll get those secrets out! (Got Confidence!)

Just feelin good about myself even though image is everything, Hollywood will pull out the WHite Carpet and the backdrop will say in "Personality is Everything and it's brought to you by Maia La Ville"!--LOL Ok,just having a brainstorming moment and am not about to type all that !-lol

So ready to breakout and showcase something new, happy, REAL not fake or robotic and heart to heart with some flava and not (Flava Flav) either! "I gotta be me....." what musical was that lyric from? ALright, phones ringing and could be an agent so keep me in your prayers.

"Life is good if you are!"
- Maia La Ville

MPS

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Feelin Fat and Happy to eat this July 4th -LOL

I know it's the July 4t holiday and I have not worked out in 2 darn weeks!! In Cali that is ridiculous and now all my friends will be cooking up some lavish dishes and gettin' down with the real BBQ meat and some awesome fish. AND what will I do, eat like a pig.

Lately, I have been an emotional eater because I am stressen from doing so much behind the scenes in preparing my television pilot of this blog. Two tapings are scheduled in July and August. The first one went really well and my dear friend, Lucy Blanco was a wonderful guest on the first show.

Soon or later I will create a link so that you can view some excerpts from the show. In the meantime, I am going to attempt to do 100 crunches to prepare for the food frenzy I will be on this weekend! Everybody has got to pig out once in a while-lol

I was in my sista Djuna's convertible yesterday and the sun was burning the hell out of my arms even after I had layered up with 38 sun block! She was like "sweetie are you uncomfortable I can put the top up", that was so sweet because not too many people are aware that the sun rays between 11am to 3p are so dangerous especially for is Vitiligoans! ( I just made up that word) I seem to forget that sometimes, but believe u me, when I start to burn on my skin, I am quickly reminded of my imperfections--Damn!

This holiday I will hang out with my friends the Holland family (they are having a dinosaur named after them at the Natural History Museum of California) www.nihm.org and swim in the pool with major sunblock and do about 10 laps and then come up for air and sip on my pink-tini! I am sure I will post some pics of me swimming, I am curious to see how my white spots shine in the blue water. It's the creative side in me! :-) sometimes I want to see how other people see me with Vitiligo.

Have a safe Fourth and eat up darn it!!-LOL

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Reflection on this turning white process

I know you are viewing some of my old pics saying, "damn is that really her?" Yes it is! I have been told that I am a chameleon in looks and sometimes personality-lol I wanted to share these pics to one: Remind me of how I would like to look and two: how I would like to look and three, A reminder that a PERSONAL TRAINER AND ORGANIC CHEF is not far from being obtained!-LOL

As, I mentioned in the captions by the pics on the left column, when I moved to LA, because of the geography and climate of Atlanta and Chicago, my skin color was much lighter. So, when Landis applied makeup for my photo session it enhanced my light skin and now the Cali. sun has made me much darker as you can tell by the picture at the top.

It really is trippe to me, because the more the sun tans the pigment that is not yet affected by the Vitiligo, the more it makes the white spots more noticeable. And so I go through the day admiring my darker skin tone andTHEN reminding myself that it is totally temporary! Must admit I do go back and forth in my head of how I am going to look once this crazy process is complete and I am not loooking forward to it. BUt I love me as I am anyway cause I am not a boring person by anymeans!

My goal is to land a television contract as an Entertaiment/Reality Show Host now and by the time I turn completely white, I will be retired and fulfilled with my life. (at least that is the plan) As I have stated before, I will miss the bronzing of the sun on my skin and the radiant glow that my brown pigment exudes from my body! I am conditioning my mind and emotions to prepare to settle in to the new white skin that will take over one day.

Honestly, I won't like it but it is an opportunity to prepare myself and to truly appreciate and concentrate more on the person within! She is a Goddess and a love child who will always be the product of her roots, African, Dominican, French and Carob Indian.

www.visit-dominica.com that's my Dad's birthplace in the West Indies where they speak a French dialect called, Pature (pat-twa).

Going to the Hollywood Bowl tonight for the Independence Day fireworks! Very patriotic but love the stars shining in the midnight spacious sky! Especially when you are sipping on a nice bottle of wine. www.thewine-spies.com

Later,
Maia

Monday, June 30, 2008

A Whisper and a Smile

I had dinner last nite at , The Whisper Lounge inside the Grove AND damn! that Ribye Steak and fluffy mash potatoes would make Martha Stewart and all the great Chefs do a double taste!

While dining, a friend and I couldn't help but notice the attractive waitress who seemed way different from the usual LA waiters types. You know, the starving artist and valley girl with blond extensions and fake or about to be fake boobs who are being over polite cause your tip could definitely affect how much gas goes in their car for the next audition, or if DWP will keep the lights on to study their next script. (Now I know not every waitress is blonde and fake just flow with me-LOL)

Whisper Lounge is definitely the place to go when u have had a long arduous day of shopping and your belly starts raging in acidic flow. If you don't stop and eat, U might not be the best person to say hello to! The ambiance is calm, secluded, Morroccan type lighting is so dimmed that U think the lights might just go off and then they will supply you with bed linens! Egyptian Cotton Sheets, 800 thread count, please) www.whisperloungela.com (they don't do that but it's not a bad idea)

The indoor patio allows you to experience the dining areas with larger than life windows that open wide and tall to let that summer breeze glide on in and kiss your cheek while you sip on your Chocolate Martini or Pelligrino with Lime. Keep sipping and you might happen to see Sara Jessica Parker shopping across the way or Kobe Bryant walking toward the upscale jeweler for another chunk size diamond ring for his wife, -LOL

So back to the waitress that was just a joy to be served by. We started chatting about hair, the ent. industry, D.C. where she's from and Chicago, my hometown. I told her that when I decided to straighten my hair I wanted a style similar to hers. The refreshing part about our talk, was when I asked her if her stylist does weaves, she replied "girl, what do you think I am wearing?"

Now that was not a common remark I would get from an aspiring beautiful actress her in LA. Plus she gave me the stylist info! Now that is how this world should be ........not hoarders of info. People generally don't like to share info, contacts or anything that would make them allow another to advance. Unless of course, you have a previous relationship or are having intimate relations ( You rub their back they massage yours). U know I am not lying this is Tinsel Town!

The waitress and I got into the conversation of entertainment and I told her about my blog and living with Vitiligo. Interestingly and very surprising to me, she said "when you were reading the wine list and then put your hands on your face, I looked at your hands and thought to myself..she has such beautiful hands!"

Now you know, I was totally surprised that she would even give my hands that much thought. So, I am starting to realize that my Vitiligo is taking on a new meaning to me. I am now becoming a walking art form and she is the 3rd person that has said that my hands are nice.
I asked the waitress why did she think they were nice, and I think she said because of the pigment discoloration and the design. not in those exact words.

Mind you, that a 15 year old girl just last week was talking to me and softly picked up my right hand. As she rubbed her hand across the back of mine, she told me the white spots on my hands were a work of art and that they were beautiful.

All I can think of is, that it is a clear sign of improvement and fusion of how being different can create value and become a conversation piece in a positive light in our society! Of course, I cannot be modest and must say that my personality played a very big role in making people feel comfortable in opening up to me. :-)

Now all I need is an Agent, a network studio to bring to life my blog and let my personality shine like LA has never seen before... ...Chicago style!

Thanks for taking time out to read today!

Maia

Friday, June 27, 2008

It's Been a "Minute"

Getting ready for a major yard sale on Saturday and dreading the fact that I will have to be in the sun ALL DAY! Don't get me wrong, I love the sun but since I am losing my pigment, it can be very dangerous if I don't replenish my sun block every 2 hours.

My beautiful brown skin tans so well and it looks fabulous, until I glance at the white areas on my hands, arms and legs and have to make sure the white spots are not irritated and red. Pain in my azz!! But I grease up so I won't cook-lol Quick reality check and sometimes I will spiral downward in emotions when I look at the different areas of white on me. Then it takes that one person to walk by me and smile or a kind man alerting me to my beauty..once again! --LOL

So, I pull it together and summon up the inner beauty to radiate and keep it moving! Which reminds me of my visit to Baskin Robbins today. I saw this beautiful, tall (6 feet 2 inches,) male with dark bronze skin, fabulous bod, nice not too tight not too loose jeans and yes flip-flops for all those East Coast/Mid-westerners that just don't get it.!! He was SEXAYY!! and a presence that would make King Tut come back for a challenge!-LOL

Not knowing if he was gay, straight or both, I brushed all those off and decided to hand him a piece of paper with my blog info on it, and a contact # ; that was in case he had any questions :-), about my vitiligo, Of Course!!-lol When I introduced myself, he said hello Maia but did not say his name and that! was my Que to smile and politely exit, cause he never said his name (and that was my wisdom to know women were obviously not his taste or maybe he had SOMEBODY!) Either way, a sister has to know how long to be subtle make her point without saying anything and if no response exit like a Queen! (can't give the Ego time to trip me up-LOL!!)

Either way, I was excited thinking that he might have thought I was cute but not his type because I was losing my color. I had a zillion things going through my head but was glad he acknowledged my greeting . Hell! he was just a damn good sight to look at, so as I enjoyed my brief encounter with Mr. No Name but Handsome! I felt an exhilaration about myself and looked forward to his commenting on my site and had no regrets about him and or any embarrassment about my vitiligo.

U should know I go up (and am mostly up) than down about my discoloration. There are days where I simply don't give a S#$^+)(& and then there are days that a person staring too long will either make me acknowledge their staring and chat with them or ignore it and go on with whatever I am doing at the time.

One thing that does get under way under my skin is when people stare as if I am contagious or a circus animal, I get real bitchy then and have to chant to myself not to approach them to clarify their looks! That has happened a few times and believe it or not , I made some really nice friends! (but that is me anyway)

Well, gotta shower, chant and sleep to get ready for the sun, sale and fun of DE-cluttering my life!

Til next time,
Be good to yourself and to others (I sound like Jerry Springer!!) -LOL

Maia